


His Last Breath

by lilium_elendir



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Character Death, Emotional Hurt, House of Gladnis Xmas Exchange, M/M, i hurt my own feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:42:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilium_elendir/pseuds/lilium_elendir
Summary: Cardiac injuries in Gladio's youth have lasting consequences, and now Ignis has to say goodbye.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	His Last Breath

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mooglecharm (morphaileffect)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/morphaileffect/gifts).



> A gift for mooglecharm who requested mind blowing angst.

When Noctis gave his life to bring back the sun, the world changed. The prophecy fulfilled, the last of the Lucian kings dead, the Crystal faded to black. With the loss of the Crystal and the Caelums, magic rapidly faded from the world. 

Gone were the potions and elixirs, and the lifesaving phoenix downs. Now the world had to rely on modern medicine and technology. But much of that was lost in the ten years of darkness, and rebuilding the world was a monumental effort already.

When Gladiolus Amicitia was twenty-three years old, he took two crushing blows to the chest. The first was from the butt of Ravus Nox Fleuret’s sword. It did more than injure his chest, it broke his confidence and wounded his pride. It’s also what led to his second injury, a near crippling slash from the blade master, Gilgamesh.

But Gladio was in prime condition, recovering quickly from what seemed to be superficial injuries at the time; sore muscles and a gnarled scar. Ten years of hard fighting seemed to take their toll, though he never complained to anyone.

Ignis should have caught it during that first slip, but in the excitement of Noct’s return and fighting for their home, he didn’t catch it. 

“I think my heart might be slowing my legs down,” Gladio had said. Ignis took it for sentiment, that Gladio wanted to prolong their time together before reaching the end of their journey. Unfortunately, he had meant it quite literally.

Heart failure, the doctors had told them as Ignis and Gladio sat on the opposite side of the desk, hands clasped together. They’d been seeking answers as to why Gladio was so tired all the time and why he was growing more and more short of breath. Gladio’s heart, damaged in his youth, was beginning to fail. It no longer had the strength to keep the blood pumping through his enormous frame. 

There were some medications he could take, and lifestyle changes he could make. Gladio did everything the doctor’s advised, his husband made sure of it. With Ignis’ help, Gladio nearly made it to sixty.

Now, on the eve of Giving Day, they held hands once more. The hospital was quiet, but Gladio’s room was not. The whirr of the monitors keeping track of his heart rate and blood pressure, the beep of the pulse oximeter measuring his oxygen level, the sound of the IV pump that kept Gladio comfortable as he struggled to breathe.

Iris was on her way from Cape Caem, but Ignis knew she wasn’t going to make it in time. Ignis sat in a chair at the side of Gladio’s bed, the rail down so he could be as close as possible without climbing into it with him. 

For perhaps the first time since he’d lost his vision, Ignis thought it merciful that he couldn’t see his husband, that way Gladio would always remain young and whole in his mind’s eye.

“Mom… came to visit… again,” Gladio wheezed. He spoke periodically between times of rest. Ignis couldn’t be sure which words were going to be his last. There was a box of tissues on the bed beside Gladio’s thigh, and Ignis had to grab one each time he spoke. He’d removed his visor and left it on the bedside table. It only made wiping his tears away more difficult.

“That’s wonderful, love. I’m sure you’re eager to be with her again.”

It wasn’t the first time Gladio had mentioned seeing his dead mother. Ignis was sure she kept coming to carry her son home, but Gladio just wasn’t ready to let go.

“I love you, my darling,” Ignis whispered and pressed soft kisses to Gladio’s swollen hand. They’d had to remove his wedding band; the swelling had become so bad. He wore it now just above the cross on his necklace, which rested over his failing heart.

He was deteriorating rapidly, his heart too weak to pump fluid around his body. Gladio’s extremities started to swell and his lungs filled with fluid. It wouldn’t be long now; the doctors had said. A few days at most.

“The tree… is pretty. Tell Iris.” Gladio’s sentences were becoming shorter and further apart. He was talking about the small artificial tree they’d decorated his room with. Colored lights and glass baubles, carefully hung by Iris’ daughter and grandchildren. They’d wanted to stay, but Ignis encouraged them to go, to spend the holiday with the little ones. Gladio had too. In the end, they’d all been saying their goodbyes for months. Not that that made it any easier.

Ignis reached up to pet over Gladio’s long hair, mostly silver now, or so he was told. The hand in his was losing its warmth, and Ignis began to wonder if his own heart could carry him through. 

A nurse cracked the door open to check on them, and Ignis asked her to turn all the monitors off. She did as Ignis asked, initiating the comfort measures only order that the doctor had already written. She unhooked Gladio from everything but the IV pump that was giving him a small, steady dose of pain medication, and the oxygen tubing beneath his nose. 

When she was gone, Ignis finally climbed into bed beside Gladio. He slipped his arm beneath Gladio’s shoulders and curled his body around his husband. Ignis slid his hand beneath the covers, and let it rest over Gladio’s heart.

“Cold…Iggy…” Gladio rasped, and Ignis pressed his lips to Gladio’s cheek.

“I know, love. It’s snowing outside,” he whispered through his tears. “It will be a beautiful white Giving Day, just like you like.”  
“Love you, Iggy,” Gladio murmured, barely a whisper. His breathing grew more labored and then it slowed. “Mom’s… back,” Gladio managed, speaking one last time.

“Go to her, my darling. I’ll be alright. Go to her now, where it’s warm, and come visit me in my dreams. I’ll be waiting for you there. I love you, Gladio.” Ignis didn’t choke until the end, his bottom lip quivering as he tried to hold back the flood of tears and sorrow. 

In his grief, Ignis wasn’t sure of the exact moment that Gladio drew his last breath, or the exact moment his heart stopped beating beneath his hand. Only that his beloved husband was gone.


End file.
